She shot her nephew, who was lost in his own thoughts, a glare.
Senju Toka said irritably, "What are you thinking? You'll be fourteen or sixteen by then. Of course, we'll have to arrange the betrothal first, after some time!"
"When you have time, meet the other two in advance and get to know them!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Toka thought of Chiharu. Her expression turned serious. "Treat your Sister Chiharu well. At first, there was only her, but because of your Wood Release, there are two more now."
"You need to understand how wronged she feels. If I find out you've bullied her, you'd better watch yourself!"
At that, Uka Senju rolled his eyes dramatically!
Bullying them? They were both older than him. He'd need to be strong enough for that first!
And you're the only one on my side of the family. Have you switched sides too?
So all three of them have someone backing them, while I'm the only one on my own. I can't afford to offend anyone, huh?
Still, he really hadn't realized that his aunt had taken Chiharu on as a disciple with this little scheme in mind.
If he hadn't chosen the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai, Chiharu would have been his only wife in the future!
"Knock, knock, knock!"
The sound at the study door interrupted their conversation.
Senju Chiharu pushed open the study door and bowed to Toka. "Lady Toka, the guards have informed you to go to the meeting hall for a meeting!"
"Okay!"
After receiving her reply, Chiharu closed the door and hurried away.
She hadn't meant to overhear, but when she reached the door,
Lady Toka had been speaking so loudly that she'd heard some of it!
She was very happy that Lady Toka was helping her, but now Uka knew that she would be his wife?
How would he feel about it?
Thinking about the age difference between them, Chiharu felt a little dejected.
By the time he came of age, she'd be nearly thirty!
Although she was confident in her looks, the age gap really was quite large.
Watching Chiharu run off with her face a little red,
Senju Toka gathered the files on the desk and neatly put them into her bag.
As she passed her nephew, she saw how lazy he looked.
Toka tapped him on the forehead to remind him. "You'd better take what I just said to heart!"
"You're watching the execution at noon. If you make me eat another meal with extra ingredients tonight, raw, you'll see what happens tomorrow!"
His head bobbed with each tap from his aunt.
As he listened, Uka wanted to roll his eyes at her.
He grumbled to himself, When have you ever eaten the extra ingredients? You always eat them yourself!
You've been eating sashimi for decades. How come you can't handle it after just a few years?
Seeing that Uka still looked a little unconvinced, Senju Toka gave him another smack and scolded him. "Didn't you see Chiharu run off? Go sort it out!"
"Age!"
After saying that, Senju Toka left the study without another word.
She really couldn't understand how her nephew's brain worked.
He was clever about everything else, and always had plenty to say.
So why was he so stupid when it came to this?
"Age? She ran off?"
Watching his aunt leave, Uka thought about what she had just said.
Had Chiharu run off because she'd heard their conversation?
But he hadn't said anything!
Remembering his aunt's warning, Uka Senju rose to his feet, somewhat unwillingly.
He really had no idea how to handle this kind of plot where an older sister became his wife.
Especially with an age barrier involved.
Of course, he'd have no problem with someone who was eighteen.
After all, he was already over forty if he added up both his lives.
Could it be... Chiharu looked down on him?
Frowning as he thought it over, he straightened the family clothes that had become disheveled from sitting cross-legged.
He went in the direction Chiharu had left.
Amid the sound of slippers slapping against the wooden floor, he searched the living room, dining room, and kitchen.
He finally found his target on the tatami in a second-floor bedroom.
He gave a light cough, kicked off his slippers, and walked straight in.
Hearing the sound, the girl in a beige kimono tugged at her sleeve with her left hand, revealing a small stretch of her snow-white right arm.
She picked up the teapot and teacups on the table, poured the tea by herself, then pushed a cup toward the person opposite her!
After sitting down, Uka Senju quietly watched Chiharu.
He looked at her eyes beneath her thick eyelashes, her full, rosy lips, and her long black hair tied up casually with a strip of cloth.
After a long while, Uka Senju looked away. He picked up the teacup on the table, blew on it, took a small sip, and asked, "Chiharu, you don't want to?"
Hearing this out-of-the-blue question, Senju Chiharu fell silent for a moment, then lowered her head slightly. "I'm nine years older than you!"
Uka Senju smiled without answering. Instead, he tapped the table to signal for her to pour him tea.
Age?
For someone who had mastered the Ōtsutsuki path,
did that even matter?
When the system awakened when he was five, he had already added his aunt's name to the list!
Today, Chiharu had nodded, and he had simply added another name to the list.
If he could make it that far, how could he leave his family members behind?
His current energy was indeed a limitation, but once he had the strength, nothing would remain a problem!
He drank the tea in his cup, then moved the low table aside.
He naturally rested his head on Chiharu's long legs.
Closing his eyes, Uka Senju murmured calmly, "Don't worry. It can be resolved. Just give me time!"
"Mm~!"
Chiharu responded softly. A smile bloomed on her face again as she skillfully began massaging the boy's body!
Senju meeting hall.
In the familiar side chamber, Senju Toka sat silently at the head of the room, watching their reactions.
The matter she'd discussed with Uka that morning should have been decided by her, as the acting clan leader.
However, after talking it over, she thought her nephew's proposal was excellent, so she had copied it down as it was and brought it to the three of them.
After a long while, the three finished reading the files and exchanged glances, finding that they were all quite satisfied with the proposal.
The Second Elder gave a light cough and said, "We can mostly follow this. We'll announce it at the meeting later!"
"Add one more detail: for unmarried people over twenty and under forty-five, suspend all benefits other than the basic allowance!"
"Mm!" Mito Uzumaki and the First Elder nodded in agreement.
Although they had decided to negotiate, apart from the school they had settled on yesterday, they had not yet determined any other objectives.
Now that the relationship between the Senju and the ruling faction had broken down, it had become inevitable.
That meant this exchange of interests would be extremely important.
It would determine the development of the Senju and their allies over the next ten to twenty years. They had to consider not only their own interests, but also those of their allies and the neutral faction.
That was the consequence of losing absolute military strength!
After returning home last night, the three of them had also made plenty of preparations.
But now it seemed they wouldn't be needed. Toka's proposal had already taken most matters into account.
They would give up the three front lines in exchange for absolute control of the south.
The Hokage faction would definitely agree to this. As for the neutral faction, they would have to use the Senju's positions on the three front lines to secure its support at the Jonin meeting.
As long as they obtained control of the southern battlefield, the Senju and their allies would have a new foothold.
That would let them escape their current awkward situation, with too many positions to hold and their forces spread too thin.
Seeing that the proposal had been approved, Senju Toka looked at the old... young-looking woman on her right and asked, "Has Hiruzen Sarutobi brought the documents over?"